Microraptor Facts

Microraptor was a small feathered dinosaur that lived in what is now modern-day China roughly 20 million years ago during the early Cretaceous period.

It would have lived in a forested environment near lakes and rivers where there would have been plenty of food such as fish, insects, and small mammals.

Microraptor was a predatory dinosaur belonging to the Dromaeosauridae family. These were predatory feathered theropods commonly known as raptors which included the well-known Velociraptor and Deinonychus.

Microraptor was a carnivore and had a diet that primarily consisted of small animals such as lizards, birds, and mammals. It had sharp teeth and claws which would have enabled it to easily catch and kill its prey.

Microraptor was a relatively small dinosaur which would grow up to 1 meter long and 40cm tall at the hip. It was a highly agile and nimble predator that would have used its speed and sharp claws to outmanoeuvre its prey.

Unlike other dinosaurs, Microraptor had feathers on all four of its limbs giving it the appearance of a bird. It is thought that these feathers may have been used for insulation, display, or even for gliding.

Microraptors had elongated legs and tails which gave them a distinctive bird-like appearance. The legs were adorned with a large backwards-facing sickle claw which would have been useful for grappling with prey and climbing.